Eventful RIMPAC 2022 comes to a close

The world’s largest international maritime exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 concluded on 4 August following more than a month of realistic, relevant combined operations training conducted in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

Twenty-six nations, 38 surface ships, three submarines, nine national land forces, more than 30 unmanned systems, approximately 170 aircraft and over 25,000 personnel participated in the 28th edition of RIMPAC.

A few of the first-time achievements included:

• Two US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft embarked on the Australian amphibious ship HMAS Canberra for the whole duration of the exercise.
• While participating in RIMPAC for the first time, HMNZS Aotearoa conducted numerous replenishment at sea operations with partner nations including France, Australia, Canada, Malaysia and the US.
• Royal Malaysian ship KD Leskir (F26) conducted its first live missile firing outside Malaysian waters.
• First embedded use of the MQ-9A and MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles, and the unmanned surface vessels Nomad, Ranger, Sea Hawk and Sea Hunter; with data and knowledge sharing amongst 13 countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Peru, India, France, Chile, Mexico, Singapore and Indonesia.
• Nine nations participated in the RIMPAC Amphibious Assault (Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Tonga and the US.)

During the exercise, RIMPAC participants sank the decommissioned Austin-class amphibious transport dock ship ex-USS Denver (LPD 9). The air, land, and sea units from Japan and the US fired Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles and anti-ship missiles at the decommissioned LPD.

This year’s exercise included units and personnel from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the US.